Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How quickly can your Rapid Response Team deploy?
A: In true emergencies (catastrophic injury or death), we can often deploy within 2-4 hours during business hours, and within 4-8 hours evenings/weekends. For serious but non-fatal injuries, we typically deploy within 24 hours. Every hour counts, so we move fast.
Q: Do I have to pay for the investigation?
A: No. McKay Law operates on contingency—we advance all costs and are only reimbursed from your settlement or verdict. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. High-quality investigation is expensive, but we believe every client deserves the same resources as the insurance companies, regardless of their financial situation.
Q: What if the police already investigated? Do I still need this?
A: Yes. Police investigations serve a different purpose—they determine if crimes were committed and citations should be issued. Police do not investigate for the purpose of maximizing your civil compensation.
Police typically:
- Take basic measurements and photos
- Interview witnesses briefly (if still at scene)
- Write a report
- Issue citations (maybe)
Police do NOT:
- Use drones or advanced technology
- Return to scene multiple times
- Locate additional witnesses
- Preserve electronic evidence
- Hire accident reconstruction experts
- Document evidence for civil litigation purposes
Bottom line: Police reports are helpful, but they’re just the starting point. Our investigation goes exponentially deeper.
Q: How much more is my case worth with rapid response investigation?
A: Based on our data, cases with rapid response investigation (within 48 hours) settle for an average of 50-60% more than cases where investigation is delayed. In some cases, the increase is 200-400% or more when we uncover evidence that completely changes liability.
But it’s not just about the money—it’s about justice. Strong evidence means defendants can’t lie, deny, or delay. You get fair compensation and accountability.
Q: What if I’m still in the hospital? Should I wait to call?
A: No—call us immediately, even from your hospital bed. The sooner we can deploy, the better. You focus on healing; we’ll handle the investigation.
Q: My accident was 2-3 weeks ago. Is it too late for rapid response investigation?
A: It’s not ideal, but it’s not too late. While the “golden window” is the first 24-72 hours, we can still conduct effective investigation weeks after an accident. However, be aware that:
- Some surveillance video may already be deleted
- Witness memories have degraded significantly
- Physical evidence may be gone
- Scene may have changed
The sooner you call, the more we can preserve. Even if weeks have passed, our investigation is still far more comprehensive than standard practice—and the data shows it still significantly improves case outcomes.
Don’t let time guilt stop you from calling. Call today.
Q: Do you handle “minor” accidents, or only catastrophic injuries?
A: Our Rapid Response Team deploys for serious injury cases where investigation will meaningfully impact the outcome. This typically includes:
✅ Hospitalizations
✅ Surgeries required
✅ Permanent injuries
✅ Significant economic losses (medical bills over $50K, substantial lost wages)
✅ Disputed liability
✅ Commercial vehicle accidents
✅ Wrongful death
For minor “fender benders” with soft tissue injuries, full rapid response may not be cost-justified. However, we still conduct thorough investigation appropriate to the case—just not necessarily with the full technology deployment within hours.
When you call, we’ll assess your case and recommend the appropriate level of investigation.
Q: Will rapid response investigation help even if liability is clear?
A: Absolutely. Even when fault is obvious, rapid response investigation serves critical purposes:
- Documenting damages severity (scene evidence showing impact forces, vehicle damage proving high-speed collision)
- Preserving evidence for jury appeal (powerful visuals increase verdict value)
- Defeating comparative negligence (defense will try to blame you for some percentage—evidence refutes it)
- Justifying maximum compensation (irrefutable evidence = less negotiation, faster settlement)
- Uncovering additional defendants (poorly maintained roads, defective products, employer liability)
Example: Rear-end collision where defendant clearly at fault. Standard case might settle for $100K. Our investigation revealed defendant was commercial driver, on the job, had been disciplined for speeding 3 times prior, and company knew of pattern. Settlement: $425K (including employer contribution).
Clear liability doesn’t mean maximum value. Investigation finds the money.
Q: What if the defendant doesn’t have insurance or has minimum limits?
A: This is exactly when investigation becomes CRITICAL. When insurance is insufficient, we need to find:
🔍 Additional defendants (employers, vehicle owners, property owners, product manufacturers)
🔍 Additional insurance policies (umbrella policies, commercial policies, excess coverage)
🔍 Personal assets (for collection if necessary)
🔍 Your own underinsured motorist coverage (on your auto policy)
Example: Defendant had minimum Texas coverage ($30K). Seemed like that’s all we could recover. Our investigation discovered:
- Defendant was delivering for a restaurant (employer liability)
- Restaurant had $1M commercial policy
- Defendant was driving employer’s vehicle (covered under employer policy)
Result: $650K settlement instead of $30K.
Without rapid investigation to establish employer relationship (delivery receipts, GPS data, text messages from employer), we’d have been stuck with $30K.
Q: Can investigation help if the other driver fled the scene (hit and run)?
A: Yes! Hit-and-run cases are extremely difficult, but rapid response investigation gives you the best chance of identifying the at-fault driver:
What we do:
- Immediate surveillance video canvassing (catch the vehicle on camera)
- Witness location (someone saw the vehicle or got plate number)
- Social media investigation (people post about witnessing hit-and-runs)
- Vehicle part analysis (paint transfers, broken parts left at scene identify make/model)
- Area vehicle canvas (look for damaged vehicles in the area)
- Collaborate with police investigation
Even if we can’t find the driver, investigation documents the accident for your uninsured motorist claim (your own insurance covers hit-and-runs).
Time is CRITICAL in hit-and-runs because the driver may repair vehicle quickly, and video evidence disappears fast.
Q: What happens to all the evidence you collect?
A: Everything is meticulously organized and preserved:
- Digital evidence stored securely on encrypted servers with redundant backups
- Physical evidence catalogued and stored in secure facility
- Chain of custody maintained for legal admissibility
- Evidence index created for easy reference
- Reports prepared summarizing all findings
- Trial exhibits created from best evidence
All evidence is available for:
- Settlement negotiations (showing insurance company we’re trial-ready)
- Mediation presentations
- Expert witness review
- Trial presentation
- Appeals (if necessary)
Your case file becomes a comprehensive, organized, trial-ready package—which is exactly why insurance companies settle our cases faster and for more money.
Q: How do I know if I need an attorney right away, or if I can handle the insurance claim myself?
A: You should ALWAYS consult with an attorney after a serious accident—and the consultation is free.
Red flags that you NEED an attorney immediately:
🚩 Serious injuries (hospitalization, surgery, permanent disability)
🚩 Disputed liability (other driver blaming you)
🚩 Commercial vehicle (18-wheeler, delivery truck, Uber/Lyft, company vehicle)
🚩 Multiple parties involved (complex liability)
🚩 Hit and run (need to pursue uninsured motorist claim)
🚩 Significant economic losses (medical bills over $20K, lost wages)
🚩 Insurance company calling you repeatedly (trying to get recorded statement or settle quickly)
🚩 Death (wrongful death claims are extremely complex)
Why not handle it yourself?
❌ Insurance companies are NOT on your side (even your own insurance company in UM/UIM claims)
❌ You don’t know case value (likely to settle for far less than deserved)
❌ You don’t know evidence rules (statements you make can hurt your case)
❌ You can’t hire investigators and experts (too expensive for individuals)
❌ One chance to get it right (once you settle and sign release, you can never reopen)
The consultation is free. The investigation is free (we advance costs). You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by calling